Meat, Poultry and Fish Flashcards
What is offal?
The name given to edible internal organs of animals.
What is game?
Meat sourced usually from wild animals, like rabbit, but it can also mean meat from birds such as pheasant, pigeon, partridge, grouse and woodcock
Under EU law, what does meat and poultry for human consumption have to show?
Traceability - the ability to track any substance used for consumption through all stages of production, processing and distribution.
What does food given to animals displaying the Red Tractor logo assure?
That it is safe for them to eat with no risk of contamination to the meat or milk produced.
What do farmers under the Red Tractor scheme make sure they do?
Use responsible farming methods not to pollute land and minimise the impact of their farming methods on wildlife, fauna and flowers.
Give 5 examples of meat available for consumers?
-Beef
-Lamb
-Pork
-Venison
-Rabbit
What is an example of a British-reared beef breed?
Aberdeen Angus.
What is a good length of time for beef to be hung for it to be flavoursome and tender?
10-14 days.
What 5 characteristics in a cut of beef should you look for?
-Firm
-Fine-grained
-Moist, not dry, not slimy
-Light marbling of fat
-Any fat on the outside to be cream coloured, not yellow
-Deep burgundy colour
What can yellow fat on beef mean?
It might be rancid.
How does wagyu beef compare to Western beef?
Japanese Wagyu is renowned for its high level of fat marbling, it has more fat than flesh and looks white with a splattering of pink. Western beef just has some white streaks running through it.
What 3 nutrients is Wagyu beef high in?
-Monounsaturated fats
-Omega 3
-Omega 6
What is veal?
Veal meat comes from the male calves or cows bred for dairy, slaughtered when they are a few months old.
What is a hogget?
A lamb older than one year.
What is a lamb?
A sheep under one year old.
What is mutton?
The meat of an older sheep.
What is ham?
A specific cut from the thigh part of the pig and has been cured (or salted)
What is bacon?
It’s produced by curing pork with salt or in a brine solution. After maturing it is sold as unsmoked bacon, but can also be smoked to give bacon a darker colour and distinctive flavour.
What is gammon?
The cured, whole leg of pork. It is often cut into easy to cook slices and eaten got as gammon steaks. It is also sold cooked and cold as ham. Some hams may be cured to give distinctive flavours such as ‘honey roast’
Compare the nutrition and flavour of horse meat to beef:
What 2 other nutrients are horse meat a good source of?
Horse meat has a lower fat content and more omega 3 than beef. Horse meat is similar in taste to beef.
It also has high protein and high levels of iron.
What % of the worlds population is believed to have goat in their diet?
80%
When was rabbit very popular in the UK?
In the 1940s and 1950s when meat was rationed during and after WW2.
Describe rabbit meat:
-Low in fat
-Cholesterol free
-High in protein
-Similar taste to chicken
What is venison?
Venison refers to the meat of a deer.
What 3 deer species are commonly used for food in the UK?
The red deer, the fallow and the roe.
Compare venison to beef:
Venison is a red meat, similar to beef but leaner and with a slightly richer taste.
What are ‘made up’ commodities? And give 2 examples:
Foods which contain meat mixed with other ingredients such as sausages or salami.
Give 4 examples of poultry:
-Chicken
-Turkey
-Goose
-Duck
What 3 ways are poultry reared and how old are they when they are slaughtered in these ways?
-Indoors in large numbers - about 40 days old when slaughtered
-Free range - 56 days old when slaughtered
-Organic - 80 days old when slaughtered
What are specialised chicken breeds developed for meat called?
Broilers
What are specialised chicken breeds developed for eggs called?
Layers
How tall are chickens?
Less than 70cm
How much do chickens weigh on average?
2.6kg
What are male chickens called?
Cocks or roosters
What are female chickens called?
Hens
Name 3 different breeds of chicken:
-Capon
-Spring chicken
-Poussin
How much can a turkey weigh?
3-12kg
What should fresh turkey be like?
Firm white flesh, supply, bendy feet and smooth legs.
Why do you need to be careful when cooking turkey?
The flesh can become dry.
How many people will a large duck serve?
4 people.
What is duck flesh like?
Rich and fatty.
How much do geese weigh?
6-12kg
What is goose flesh and meat like?
The flesh is very rich, dark and usually tender. The meat is rich and fatty.
Describe ostrich meat:
Similar in colour and taste to beef. It’s lower in fat compared to chicken and turkey, and much lower in fat and cholesterol than beef
What is pheasant flesh like?
Pale, lean and firm, with a subtle gamey flavour
What 3 things does offal include?
-Insides, including the heart, liver, lungs
-Extremities such as tails and feet (pigs trotters)
-The head, including the brain and tongue
What is liver an excellent source of of?
Iron and vitamin A
Which country’s dish is liver an important part of?
The Scottish national dish, haggis.
How should liver be cooked?
Cooked quickly so that it remains a little pink in the centre.
What can a heart’s texture be like?
Very chewy
What 5 nutrients is a heart high in?
-Protein
-Iron
-Selenium
-Phosphorus
-Zinc
How should heart be cooked?
It must be tenderised by a long, slow method of cooking
Which European nations are kidneys a popular food in?
England, France, Spain and Sweden.
What is the most common cooking method of kidneys?
Grilling.
What is tripe?
Tripe is a stomach lining and it resembles honeycomb.
How should tripe be cooked?
When thoroughly soaked before cooking, often in milk, it achieves a sparkling white appearance.
What flavour does tripe have?
A neutral flavour that takes to many sauces.
How can tripe be eaten?
In soups or cold with vinegar.
How much of the fat in lead med meat is unsaturated?
Approximately half.
Red meat and meat products contribute to how much of the fat intake of all food eaten at home?
Less than one quarter.
Which meats contain higher levels of saturated fatty acids than pork?
Beef and lamb
In the UK, how much has the fat content in pork been lowered by?
30%
In the UK, how much has the fat content in beef been lowered by?
15%
In the UK, how much has the fat content in lamb been lowered by?
10%
How much fat in g/100g is there is traditional mince compared to lean mince, compared to extra lean mince?
Traditional mince - 16.2
Lean mince - 11.8
Extra lean mince - 4.5
How much saturated fat in g/100g is there is traditional mince compared to lean mince, compared to extra lean mince?
Traditional mince - 7.1
Lean mince - 5.6
Extra lean mince - 1.9
What are the 5 main minerals supplied in meat?
Iron, magnesium, potassium, selenium and zinc
What 3 vitamins does mean supply?
The fat soluble vitamins A and D, and its a good source of the B vitamins, especially B12.
How much meat are we recommended to eat a week?
No more than 500g a week.
In general, what is the forequarter of a carcass like?
It has more muscle which has worked harder, contains more connective tissues and therefore will give less tender meat.
In general, what is the neck and shoudler of a carcass like?
In particular they have long, thick fibres and contain a lot of connective tissue.
In general, what is the hindquarter of a carcass like?
It contains fewer muscles which have done less work, have less connective tissue and therefore produce the most tender cuts of meat.
Where do the prime tender cuts of meat come from?
Cuts of meat from the loin or rump muscles have done the least work and have shorter, finer muscle fibres with less connective tissue.
What should you look for when buying lamb meat?
Lean meat should be firm, dull red with a fine texture/grain.
What should you look for in the fat when buying lamb meat?
Surface fat should be heard, brittle, flaky, a clear white colour and evenly distributed.
What should you look for in the bones when buying lamb meat?
In a young animal, the bones should be pink and porous so that, when cut, a degree of blood is shown in their structure
What should you look for when buying beef meat?
Lean meat should be darkish red in colour, with small flecks of white fat marbling.
What should you look for in the fat when buying beef meat?
Fat should be firm, creamy white in colour and dry.
What is the fat from older cows and dairy breeds like?
A deeper yellow.
What should you look for when buying pork meat?
Lean meat should be pinkish, with small flecks of white fat marbling.
What should you look for in fat when buying pork meat?
Fat should be firm, brittle in texture, creamy white in colour and odourless.
What is the flavour of meat determined by?
The breed of the animal and the diet of the animal.
What is the colour of meat determined by?
The type and breed of animal, the diet of the animal, the welfare of the animal during rearing
What is the texture of meat determined by?
The amount of water and fat in the meat, and the particular kinds of protein in the meat.
What are muscles made up of?
Bundles of fibres which are very small tubes filled with water containing dissolved muscle proteins and mineral salts.
What dissolved muscle proteins are contained in muscle fibres?
What is their function?
Myosin and actin. They make it possible for the muscle to connect and contract and create muscle movement in the body.
What is collagen?
What 3 things does collagen do?
A type of connective tissue. Collagen…
-Surrounds the fibres to make a bundle
-Wraps the bundles together to make the muscle
-Lays a thin covering over the muscle called a sheath
Other than collagen, what are 2 other types of connective tissue?
Elastin and reticulin .
Where is elastin found and what does it do?
Elastin is contained mainly in blood vessel walls and the elastin ligaments which attach the muscle to bone.
Give 2 characteristics of elastin:
-Yellow in raw meat
-Can stretch like elastic
Where is reticulin found?
It is contained in the spaces between the muscle cells.
What causes the red colour of meat?
Due to muscle cell pigment myoglobin and to haemoglobin in the blood.
What makes meat more tender?
When the muscle fibres tend to be shorter.
What happens when the cut surface of any raw meat is exposed to oxygen in the air?
The colour changes to a brighter red. When left standing the meat colour changes again, this time to a browny red.
Why is meat cooked?
-To kill bacteria and make it safe to eat
-To make the meat tender and easier to eat
-To improve flavour
-To improve colour and appearance
-To help keep the meat for longer
What chemical changes may occur to meat during cooking?
-Muscle proteins shrink
-Moisture lost
-Changes in colour
-Connective tissue softens
-Fat melts
-Flavour develops
Why does cooking decrease the nutritional value of meat?
As heat destroys some vitamins and water soluble proteins
A combination of high temperature and water converts collagen to what in meat?
What does this do?
Converts collagen to gelatine. This increases the tenderness of meat and makes it more digestible.
At what temperature does the colour of meat change?
Above 65°C as heat changes the pigment in myoglobin.
What is the Maillard (or non-enzymic browning) reaction?
A chemical reaction between a protein and a carbohydrate in the presence of dry-heat.
What else causes a colour change in meat when cooked?
The Maillard reaction produces brown pigments as the protein reacts with the simple sugars on the meat’s surface.
What 2 things happens to meat when it is overcooked?
It becomes tough and indigestible.
What meat products are salted only?
Processed meats.
Give 2 examples of processed meats:
Burgers, nuggets.
What are cured meats entirely made of?
Muscle meat.
How are cured meats treated?
Small small amounts of nitrite, either as dry salt or as salt solution in water.
Give an example of cured-raw meats:
Parma ham
Give an example of cured-cooked meats:
Hams
Give an example of raw-cooked meat:
Frankfurter sausages
Give an example of precooked-cooked meat:
Black pudding
At what temperature do meat proteins denature?
Around 60°C
What happens as a result of denaturation?
The muscle fibres become firmer.
What happens to meat beyond 60°C?
The fibres shrink and meat juices are squeezed out.
What in the meat is dissolved in the meat juices?
Water-soluble vitamins, mineral salts and the substances that give meat its taste.
What does marinading meat do?
Changes tougher collagen to gelatine, allowing meat to hold more water, which makes it more tender when cooked.
What bacteria is the most common cause of foodborne illness in the UK?
Campylobacter.
What are some symptoms of campylobacter?
Abdominal pain, severe diarrhoea and sometimes vomiting.
What factors should you consider when buying meat and poultry so that it’s safe?
-Buy from reputable butchers and supermarkets
-Check packaging is not damaged or open
-If buying pre-packed meat, check use by date
-Offal should smell fresh without a stale or strong odour
What temperature should meat and poultry be stored at?
0-5°C
How should raw and cooked meat be stored?
Separate.
Where should raw meats be put in the fridge?
At the bottom so that juices don’t drip onto other foods and contaminate them with bacteria.
How should poultry be stored from other meats?
Stored well away because of the risk of salmonella cross-contamination.
When should offal ideally be used?
On the day of purchase as its shelf-life is short
Why should thawed meat be kept in a sealed container at the bottom of the fridge?
Because as it thaws, lots of liquid can come out of it. This liquid will spread bacteria to anything it touches.
How can meat/food be prepared safely?
-Clean and hygienic
-Different colour chopping boards to not cross contaminate
-Wash hands thoroughly after preparing raw meat, in particular raw poultry
-Frozen poultry should be thoroughly defrosted before cooking.
What colour will turkey juiced be if it’s cooked?
Clear, not pink or red.
Freshwater fish include:
Trout, carp and salmon
Saltwater fish include:
Cod, haddock, plaice, tuna, mackerel and herring
Shellfish include:
Crabs, prawns, shrimp and lobster
How much fat is in the flesh of oily fish?
More than 5% - therefore dark in colour
Oily fish include:
Mackerel, tuna, salmon and sardine.
How much fat is in the flesh of white fish?
Less than 5%
Where is the oil/fat found in white fish?
The liver
Where do white wish live?
The sea
White fish include:
Cod, haddock and sea bass
What groups can white fish further be separated into?
Found fish such as cod and flat fish such as sole.
What are shellfish divided into?
Molluscs such as mussels and crustaceans such as lobster
What cuts of fish are available to buy?
-Round fish fillet
-Flat fish fillet
-Fish steak
-Fish cutlet
What temperature should fish be stored as?
0-5°C
Why should fish be well wrapped?
To prevent the strong smell from contaminating other foods
When selecting prawns and shrimp what colour should they be?
Pink or greyish.
How should shellfish’s shells be when selecting?
They must have tightly closed shells or must close tightly when tapped. Lobsters, crabs and prawns must have shells that are bright and hard.
How should fish smell when you’re selecting it?
It should smell pleasantly of the sea or seaweed. it should not smell ‘fishy’ or strong which is a sign it’s past its best.
How should fish look when you’re selecting it?
Bright and shiny, either through the presence of slime or through plenty of bright scales.
How should fish’s eyes look when you’re selecting it?
Clear, full and shiny, almost glistening. Not sunken.
How should fish’s gills look when you’re selecting it?
Red in colour, indicating a good amount of oxygen is still present in the blood.
How should fish feel when you’re selecting it?
It should be firm to the touch. Fish that has just been caught and killed will be in a state of rigor mortis (firm and stiff) for up to 24 hours. As the fish becomes older it becomes softer and bendier.
What kind of marking should be visible when buying fish?
Orange spots on plaice, bright lateral lines on round white fish and bright stripes on mackerel.
What should you do when buying crab?
Tap it gently to make sure it doesn’t contain water. Lobsters and crabs should have their limbs feel heavy relative to their size.
